A Sane Insanity: Wally West
by Cold-Ice-Burns
Summary: Something strange is happening, and it all starts with one thing- Robin's death. The team doesn't know what to do as they each lose their mind one by one, but they don't realize not all is what it may seem. (Second in the "A Sane Insanity" series)- Plot Credit to Time2ReadMe
1. Chapter 1

Wally walked, his hands deep in his pockets. He had waited until after the funeral, because he wasn't sure he could take all the reporters treating Dick- his best friend, his whole _world_- like another news story. He was a person; a great one, at that. But no one seemed to think of him as more than Richard Grayson, ward of Bruce Wayne.

He walked through the now empty cemetery. The day was bright and sunny, almost trying to cheer him up, but he couldn't find the decency to smile at the bright day in Gotham. Probably the only one it'll ever have. Instead, he keeled in front of the newest grave, it's dirt freshly turned, covering the cold body underneath it. Right under the words "_A loving son, grandson, ward, and friend_" on the gravestone, were flowers. More importantly, flowers known as Asters, Dick's favorite word next to 'whelmed'.

Wally smiled and touched the small, thin brightly colored petals, knowing Bruce got these. His bright smile turned weary, though, and soon disappeared as he realized that he was smiling when Dick was _dead_.

His hand retracted from the flowers, resting at the base of the grave.

Dick was dead. It didn't sound right. Yeah, Wally was there. He was the one who couldn't save him, he was the one who watched him die in his arms, but yet he couldn't accept the fact that he was gone.

His shoulders shook as he tried to keep in his tears.

Dick would never laugh again. He would never feel the heat in the back of his neck like Wally was doing now. He would never graduate Gotham Academy, go to college, or become a police officer like he always talked about. He would never take up Batman's name, or train his own Robin. And he'll never have his own family, take down the Joker, or take over Wayne Industries. He would never live again, because he was dead.

And Wally couldn't save him.

It was a second. Wally let his guard down for a second, and Dick paid the price. And now Dick was never going to come back. And it was Wally's fault.

He lowered his head into the floor, next to his hand. Tears passed his defences, streaming down his face one after another. Small sobs racked through his body, his chest heaving in pain with each shaky breath.

What was he going to do? How was he going to continue? He still had the rest of the team, but Robin, Aqualad and him were the founders. Without Robin, he wasn't sure if they would really be a team anymore. He wasn't even sure they could be themselves anymore.

A warm hand placed itself gently on his back, and immediately Wally stopped crying, but his eyes were still red and his chest still hurt. He tried to ignore the hand, but then heard M'gann say gently,"We've looked all over for you, Wally. I know it's hard, but the world still needs saving. Come on, we have a new mission."

Wally stayed where he was, her words almost sending tears back down his face. It seems as if the world continues on, because it does, despite the fact that it just killed off one of its greatest heroes.

But he nodded anyway, slowly getting up, stretching his limbs that were tiered from being in the same position for so long when he cried for Dick. He followed M'gann onto the invisible ship, but stopped right in front of the door, holding onto one of the walls, and looked back as a soft, invisible to the untrained ear, sound bounced through the air. Dick's laugh seemed to echo in the grave yard, making the place just a bit brighter.

"Wally, you just gonna stand there like an idiot?"

Wally blinked twice as Kaldur bickered with Artemis about him just needing time, and walked into the ship, taking his regular seat. His seatbelt strapped itself and he could feel the back changing to fit Wally's comfort. Connor added a blunt comment into the argument, and M'gann tried to break the fight, but was falling due to her shy personality.

Wally could still hear Dick's laugh in his head.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Robin-"_ Kaldur cut himself off, realizing his mistake.

Dead silence followed as grief flushed through the mind link. Still not use to Robin's absence, they often addressed to him during missions. Wally glared at nothing in particular as he looked down at the black glove on his hand. It was Robin's, but Wally always put it on for the missions, since he was the next best hacker. He was Robin's best friend, after all.

_"Yeah, Kaldur. I'll hack the systems."_ Kid Flash opened up the small holo-computer, trying to get comfortable in the small air vent. Miss Martian was in the bio-ship, waiting for pick up in case of an emergency, Superboy was creating a distraction, Artemis was on watch, and Kaldur was infiltrating through the sewers. Naturally, Kid Flash got stuck infiltrating through the air vents. They had to get evidence of illegal trade from Lex Luthor, and be done with it once and for all.

Kid Flash's hands speed slightly on the keys, trying to figure out the codes. Slowly, the cartoonish Robins turned green. Then, the last one blinked red.

Kid Flash tried again. And again. And again. The last one was always the hardest to crack. His fingers flew faster as his mind tried to figure out the puzzle.

_"Is the path clear?" _Kaldur asked. They could feel his disgust as he stayed in the sewers.

_"Not yet. Having some trouble hacking into the cameras," _Kid Flash replied, pursing his lips. _"Can't figure it out. Give me a couple more seconds."_

_Press this button!_

Kid Flash nodded at the overly cheery voice, somehow knowing which button to press. Must be part of the mind link. As soon as the last Robin blinked green, he smiled in triumph. He was getting better.

_"You almost done?" _Came Superboy's voice in the link, followed by a grunt. _"I can't keep 'distracting' the guards. Patience is starting to wear thin."_

_"Yours, or theirs?" _Artemis asked with her usual sass.

_"Both."_

_"Yeah, I'm done. Proceed as planned, because everyone knows we're going to mess up eventually." _Kid Flash mentally snickered.

_"Wally!"_ Miss Martian scolded.

_"No names on the field." _Aqualad said. Then he let out a small, _"Ew."_

Kid Flash nearly laughed at Kaldur. But at that same moment, something struck him, _hard_. That voice- the one that told him to press that button?- it didn't match any of his friends. Or, at least, none that were alive.

_"Robin?"_ Even in his head, he sounded weak and unsure, even though he was confident that it was_ him_ who told Wally to push that button. Who else would know that?

_"Wally,"_ Miss Martian said with a sigh_. "We know you miss him. We all do. But we have to move on. It's what he would want."_

"It's what he would want." Wally repeated the words out loud_._

_Totally not asterous_. Robin's cackle reached Kid Flash's ears. _That's the last thing I want. Over here, Kid Dork. The evidence awaits._

In front of him, by a few feet, the air vent opened up. Wally hesitated. The voice came from in front of him, right by the opening.

"Robin?"

The voice didn't answer this time, it just left Wally alone in the claustrophobic vent. Bottom lip shaking and hands trembling, Wally tried to be Kid Flash. There were no such thing as ghosts. There was no way he was back. It was probably a fragment of his imagination, there could have easily been a loose nail in the air vent.

He crept forward. The room the vent opened to did indeed lead straight to what they were looking for. Exactly what Robin was leading him to. It was a coincidence, no doubt.

There was no way a dead man could lead him straight to the evidence.


	3. Chapter 3

Wally stared at himself in his bathroom mirror. He was going mad, he just knew it. What other explanation was there?

His reflection was weary, tired. He had spent several nights talking to Dick with no success. It really had been just a fragment of his imagination. Wasn't it? He felt like he was hearing him everywhere now, his laugh echoing on every completed mission the team had. Why was it that no one else heard?

"Hey," Wally's voice sounded empty in his room down in the incomplete basement. The walls echoed the running water from the sink. "Artemis and I finally went on that date you've been bugging me about. It didn't go as planed, but somehow it was even better that way. We kissed, too. Different than the one we had on new years... it was better. Probably because we didn't deny it happened afterwards."

His confession was met with silence. His shoulders sagged and he splashed his face with warm water. "Kaldur doesn't like our relationship any more than Batman does, but we all know he's happy for us, you know? It's just so him."

Still no one answered.

Wally shook his head. What was he doing? It was okay to be hopeful, unless there's nothing to be hopeful about. Dick... Robin... both of them were dead. Wally saw them die. Wally saw _him_ die. What was he getting his hopes up for?

He laughed humorlessly. "If you're really there, you probably aren't listening anyway."

Getting out of the bathroom, he climbed into bed. The chipped paint was covered with posters, the concrete floor with a cheep blue rug. The support beams were painted a nice aqua, to match his blankets. He smiled as he remembered it was Dick who did that.

"Their so random!" He had stated when first seeing them, ignoring the fact that the support beams were what kept the whole house from caving in. The ceiling was to low, so he couldn't climb on it, and it got in the way of everything (Wally's had his fair share of encounters with it). Dick decided that the least it could do is look nice.

"Goodnight Dick," Wally whispered, a habit he had started at Dick's passing.

_Night, Wall-man._

Wally's eyes snapped open and the sudden voice. "Dick? Is that you?"

_The one and only._ The Boy Wonder's voice sounded far away, but Wally could hear it non the less, and that's all that mattered.

Wally got up to check around the room. He found himself in the bathroom once again, checking behind the door. "Where are you?"

_Now where's the fun in telling you that?_

Wally sighed and slumped against the wall. Tears pricked at his eyes and his head started to pound. He just wanted to see his best friend. Was that too much to ask for?

_Stand up._

Wally did what he was told, his mind too clouded to do anything else. Why did he always have to do this? Why did Dick always have to disappear on him? Why couldn't he stay?

_What do you see in mirror?_

Wally looked up with the same tiered eyes he had before. "Me, without enough food in my system and not enough sleep. School does that to you."

Something heavy rested on his shoulder as a sigh wafted through the room. In the mirror, he could see the fabric move under invisible pressure. Wally's eyes widened. Was that Dick's hand?

_You can't see me... but I'm here. I'm listening. I swear._ Dick's voice was soft, and Wally's eyes started to water again. The hand lifted from his shoulder.

Where did Dick go? Why couldn't he feel him any more? Was he still there?

Panic started to settle in his chest, tightening in uncomfortably. It felt like it was getting harder to breath as he turned around, cutting his hand trough the air and meeting empty space. Dick was gone.

He couldn't, though. He promised he would be there. He just said so.

"Dick?" Wally sped through the room as he tried to search for his friend. But no matter where he looked, he was met with empty space. "No, no, no, _no_!"

He was right there. _Right there!_ And he let his slip though his fingers again. Why did he always have to mes things up?

"Please, Robin... Dick. Don't leave... not again." Wally's pain came out in sobs, short quick breaths interfering as his body called for air. No matter how hard he cried, his chest felt inflated up to the point that it was going to burst with depression. "Please, no..."

_I swear, _Dick said,_ I'm right here._


	4. Chapter 4

_"Kid Flash, report."_

_"Kid Flash, are you there?"_

_"Kid Dork, stop fooling around and answer!"_

He didn't answer, not even to the distressed voice of his girlfriend. He just didn't have to time right now. He just couldn't loose him again! He was supposed to be looking out for sports master, but this was so, so much more important. He knew they were probably worried, but.. Dick... he was here. Somewhere.

That laugh. He had heard it. The cackle echoed through the forest, and he could have sworn he saw a yellow cape flutter in one of the trees.

"Come on, come on!" His voice was lost in the wind as he ran, his figure a yellow and red blur to any civilian. His feet were even louder and more careless than usual, and the only part of his brain working properly told him he should probably go into stealth mode. His eyes snapped around, tree branch to tree branch, trying to catch sight of the small bird. "Robin, I know you're there."

A laugh rang through the air.

Wally cursed as he changed directions, realizing that the voice came from behind him. Where was the small bird? Why didn't he just come out already?

Suddenly, pain erupted through the mind link and Wally doubled over, followed by a shrill scream of,_ "Aqualad!"_

Their leader had been stabbed by DeathStroke.

-

"You were supposed to be on the look out!"

Wally winced at his girlfriend's yelling. Truthfully, Artemis had a point. He was supposed to be on the look out. It was his fault that Aqualad was behind those doors, in the medical bay.

Artemis sighed when he said nothing. "What were you doing, anyway?" Her voice was softer this time, and everyone else looked at him too, curiosity in their eyes.

Wally looked down sheepishly. Their mentors had told him over and over it wasn't true, that he wasn't there, but he couldn't help it. "I was looking for someone."

Black Canary's eyes looked as if she already knew what he was going to say. They have talked about it often. "Wally, could we speak for a moment?"

"Hold on," Artemis was about to fire another question, when Black Canary gave her a hard look. "Or not."

Wally bit his lip and followed the Canary, out of the hall, through the kitchen and into his own room. She sat on the chair by his desk, and he sat on his bed.

"Wally," she started off, plain and simple. "How are you feeling?"

He just shrugged. He didn't joke as often as he use to, making the small talks harder but more bearable for Black Canary. Sadly, she knew this meant he was unhappy about something. And that was a price she was not willing to pay.

"Wally, I know you're hurt by Robin's death. We all were. It must have been painful, to loose you're best friend so suddenly, and to watch it happen."

Wally nodded, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

"But you can never get over the pain if you never let go of him." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Wally, please, we don't want to lose someone so important, the team won't be able to take it. We need you to stay strong."

Wally bit his lip in anger. "You don't get it. I can really see him! I saw him in the forest! I saw his cape! I heard him, too! He's there... I just want to find him."

Black Canary shook her head. "I'm sorry to point this out, but has it ever occurred to you that it could have been a trick? Something from the villains, perhaps?"

Wally rose, his anger escalating quickly. His voice came out low and furious, "Shut up. _Shut up!_ It was him! It wasn't a trick! I saw him! I'm not going crazy, and don't you go around thinking that! He was there! He promised me he'd always be here..."

"Oh, Wally." Black Canary got up and hugged the lonely boy. How could she have missed this? "Sometimes when people make promises, they don't realize what they're promising. I'm sure he intended to stay with you forever, Wally, but it doesn't always work out like that."

Wally, clinging onto her like his life depended on it, almost told her that Robin had told him that nearly a week ago, which was_ after_ he had died, but something caught his attention. Right there, in the reflection of the glass window of the room, was Robin, his finger tapping his lips in a shushing motion. He swung his hips lightly, almost as if he were enjoying himself, the usual smirk on his lips. Wally's mouth opened in shock. Slowly, he nodded his head in understanding.

Black Canary must have took that as an answer to her small speech, because she separated from Wally and told him that he should be on his way.

Still, Wally nodded numbly, stepping out of the room.

That night, he raced to his bathroom mirror, standing in front of it for hours until he just caught the sight of Robin. He did, close to midnight. He was there in a quick second. In the reflection of the glass, he could see the bed where Robin now lay, the sheets flattening under him.

Wally turned around, hoping to see Robin on the bed, but the bed was empty. But he could see, hardly, where the bed went down under another person's weight.

"Robin?" Wally reached his hand out, walking to wards the bed. "Is that you?"

Wally's hand reached the empty space only to find that it wasn't empty. No, something hard and cold was there. He could feel cheeks, and he could feel ears.

_Yeah, that's me._ Wally could feel his head shake slightly. _Huh. You know how weird it is to be dead?_

Wally shook his head. Robin just laughed, letting Wally feel him. There were his lips, fastened into a smile, his eyes that closed as he put more pressure on them, his small shoulders... and his hands. He use to use his hands to fly through the air, springing off anything in his reach. Did he still do that? Why couldn't Wally see him?

"What's it like," Wally finally asked, "to be dead?"

Wally kept his hands over Dick's mouth to feel his lips move.

_It's cold_, he said. His breath was like ice, and it seemed as if he never inhaled. _Lonely. There are hardly any souls that get stuck in the mortal world. It's strange. Wally, I'm so sick of being dead._

"What," Wally smiled, and despite the fact that he was nearly on the verge of tears again, he couldn't help but say, "is it a little bit too whelming?"

Dick sighed._ Disastrous. Super heavy on the 'dis'. Even worse than the time that Alfred made me put a dollar in the Grammar jar every time I used a made up word because I made my English teacher cry._

Wally laughed. "I remember that weekend. We painted Bruce's car purple."

_And shaved Roy's hair._

"Harassed Artemis at your school. Man, was she surprised to find out I was Billionaire's best friend."

Dick laughed. It was wispy, not like it always is. It sent shivers down Wally's back. Was this really the same Robin that had died in his arms?

_It sucks to be dead_. Dick said.

"Yeah," Wally said. "It sucked to see you die."


	5. Chapter 5

"Wally, you must understand." Black Canary shook her head. She was now meeting Wally on a regular schedule of twice a week. After two or three sessions, he did stop _talking_ about seeing Robin, but it was obvious that he believed Robin was there. "Robin is no longer with us. Every time you 'see' him on a mission, you endanger all the lives of your team mates that are still with us."

"I told you already," Wally slumped in the chair, grabbing another handful of popcorn, "I don't see him."

"Don't lie to me, Wally," Black Canary said.

"I'm not!" He insisted. "I can't _see_ him!" And he couldn't. He could hear him, he could feel him, but see? No. Just his reflection. Every time she brought this up, it just made him hurt. Wally wanted to see Dick. He wanted to laugh and prank and just live with him. He couldn't see Robin because he let the small bird be killed.

"Then who do you talk to?" Canary was pressuring him, and he was sure to snap soon.

"That's none of your business!" Wally grit his teeth in frustration. "I don't have to tell you anything."

For a second Wally wondered if this was how Superboy felt like. He just wanted to keep everything - Robin- to himself because he's just so scared. So scared it'll go away if he tells anyone. Robin came to him, Robin... he came to_ him_. Robin told him not to tell, he couldn't tell anyone. Them laughing and talking at night- that was their secret because Dick was supposed to be dead. A secret Wally couldn't even see, but it was his secret. Dick would go if he told them. He would leave...

"Mine," Wally muttered. "You can't make me do anything. It's not going to go- it's mine."

"What's yours, Wally?"

"Don't!" Wally stood up abruptly, pointing a finger at her. Just like all the other sessions, she asked that question. Why? Wally knew why- because she wanted to make Robin _leave_. Wally wasn't sure how she knew, but what else would it be? She didn't care... if she did, she would have believed him the million times he told them about Dick. Before he had to keep it a secret. "Don't try that! You cant make it leave! I won't _let_ you!"

Robin told him not to tell, he held his fingers to his lips. Wally couldn't tell. Robin would go away again. He couldn't let Robin leave, he just wanted him to stay. Robin just needed to stay.

Why couldn't Wally see him? Why couldn't he just see him?

"I won't tell you anything," Wally sat back down, his eyes slightly glazed. "You can't make me- it'll go away. You can't ... just to see... I want to just see..."

Black Canary left the room before Wally started to cry. This was the same routine for who knows how long, but yet she still couldn't bear the fact that Wally could cry so bitterly. She had to leave the room or else she would get too emotional herself.

Green Arrow and Flash, like always, were waiting outside. Flash raised an eyebrow, waiting for the news.

She only shook her head, and they both knew what it meant. Flash seemed to deflate, and it seemed to be getting harder and harder for him to stay cheery all the time. Wally was getting worse. He was mumbling, he was saying things that didn't make sense. He yelled and got frustrated and he stopped smiling. They couldn't let Wally go back on mission- not unless he was back to normal.

Not unless he was..._ sane_... again.

"I've never seen anyone like this," Canary said. "Not over a death. He's seeing him... but then he starts mumbling about not losing him. Or, rather, 'it'."

They all winced at one of Wally's screams.

"Yeah," Flash said. "I've heard him. I just want him get better."

"We all do," Green Arrow said, placing a comforting hand on Flash's shoulder. "We all do."

**Hey! R&R, Please! I would like that!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Last Chapter, Guys. next is going to be A Sane Insanity: Artemis Crock. (is that how you spell her name?) R&R!**

It hurt. It hurt so much. He wasn't sure where the pain was coming from, but it was on him and he couldn't do anything except for lie on the floor and try to breath. He could feel Miss Martian try to call him, but his mind felt so groggy, he wasn't really too sure it was her voice in his head.

His attacker was somewhere in the room. Wally knew this because he could hear a voice. The attacker was watching the life drain from his eyes, as he literally bleed his soul out.

Wally couldn't remember who had attacked him. He couldn't remember why. Were they on another mission? Had _he_ attacked them, and they were just defending themselves?It hurt, so, so much.

Why was he even trying? For Artemis? For Barry? Yeah. Wally was pretty sure that's why he was trying. For his family.

But it hurt so much. Like a knife through his heart. Is that what had happened? Wally was sure they would understand, if he just let go. All the pain would stop. If they loved him, they would understand.

But he didn't want to leave them. He couldn't leave everything behind. He still had to meet the newest Bat Family member. What was his name? Jason? And he wanted to have dinner with Jade, to see if she's really what Artemis says she is. And movie night with Aunt Iris, and all of Alfred's cookies. And - and... the pain. It hurt so much.

What was he fighting for again?

Where was he?

Why was everything so blurry? Was he looking at a face? Is this the person who made him hurt? And why did it hurt? Could someone help him? Could Robin help him? Where was he? Where was everyone? Where was his team?

Is this what it feels like to die?

It hurts so much.

_Come on, Wally_. It _was_ a face. He was looking at a face. Who was it? Where were they going? Why did it hurt? _Wally, just let go_.

Let go? Of what? Was he holding something? Who was talking to him? Why was he so blurry?

"Make it... make it stop..." Did Wally say that? Was that him? Why did he sound so weak? What was wrong with him? "_Please..."_

_Just let go. Don't fight it. Come, Wally. Come with me._ That voice, it was familiar. Who was it? Where were they going?

"A- Artemis... She- she-" she wouldn't want him to leave. He couldn't just leave her. She's been through so much. He couldn't leave her. She's been in so much pain, just like he was now... where was she?

_Shh,_ Someone was holding his head. They were cold. Why were they so cold?_ I know. I know. But its okay. We can pick her next, she can join us next. But come with me first. I'm so lonely. I don't want to be alone again, not when you're so close to joining me_. A hand was playing with his hair, just how he liked it. It felt so nice, but the pain was too much, he couldn't enjoy it. Why was he fighting?

Why was it so hard?

_Let go, Wally_. The hand tugged his hair just hard enough that it hurt. _Don't leave me alone. No one likes to be alone, you know this. Please, Wally. Don't fight._

Leave him alone? No, Wally didn't like being alone. He couldn't leave him alone. But who was he? Why was he so blurry? He just wanted to see him... just like he wanted to see Robin... Like he wanted to see Dick...

He couldn't leave him alone. He was alone. Wally always felt so alone, he couldn't leave him alone. Maybe Wally'll see Robin. Didn't Robin say he was lonely? He couldn't leave Robin alone.

_No one deserved to be alone..._


End file.
